5 tips to being happier

I realize I've kind of been MIA since Christmas. Don't worry it's just school that is keeping me occupied. 

I'm proud to say that my first year as a university student is almost complete. This last semester has gone by so quickly. When I look back its just a blur of classes and piano students. 

Although it has been extremely busy I have been very happy with these last few months and I'd like to share with you some things I've figured out on how to be happier. 

1. Early to rise. 

That little saying "early to bed early to rise, makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy, and wise" is actually very true. The days that I actually get up on time are more enjoyable, more productive, and just easier in general. I'm not rushed out the door in fear I'll miss my class, I have time to shower and get ready properly with a nice healthy breakfast. 

2. Electronic Fast

In today's world we have access to smart phones, fast internet, and basically anything we need online. I love technology as much as the next person, and even praise it at times. But sometimes we need to take a break from having the virtual world at our fingertips all the time. Once a day I put down my phone for at least an hour and disconnect from the online world. I spend time with friends that are actually around me. I clean up and organize a room. I nap or exercise. Just anything that doesn't involve technology. 

3. Take a time out. 

This is the hardest one for me to remember. Sometimes I stretch myself so thin between school, work, studying, friends, family, boyfriend that I don't allow time for myself. Its okay to say no. It's okay to lock yourself in your bedroom and read or draw or just lay there letting yourself recharge. Do something you enjoy. Just take some you time because you deserve it. 

4. Count your blessings. 

Even on the worst days something good happened. So try to pin point something positive or a blessing during the day. It doesn't have to be big. It could be as simple as the trees are starting to bud. 

Also enjoy the bad times because without that opposition how will we appreciate the great days?

5. Smile. 

Even if you don't want to. Fake it to make it. Smile until it doesn't have to be forced. Smile at people you walk by. A smile is contagious and you never know when your smile will make someone else smile

First semester: completed

I am proud to announce that my first semester at university is just about finished. I just have my finals to write and then it's Christmas break! I can't believe how time has flown by and that I'm still alive...

When it comes to what I have learnt, no amount of writing techniques and linguistic terms can top what I've learnt about the Gospel and Christ. 

Life can get busy, it can fly by in the blink of an eye, and we forget the important things. What I've learnt this semester is about my priorities. When I make time to read and study the scriptures, talk to my Heavenly Father, and go to institute and church meetings, He makes time to help me. I may have a thousand essays and assignments due but if I put the Gospel first then everything else gets taken care of easily. I still have to do the assignments myself, but my mind is clear and I can focus.

If you haven't figured it out by now I teach piano. I have ten students (including someone I tutor french) and of those ten students I have two... That, lets just say, made me dread teaching them. I knew they didn't want to learn piano (they told me so every week) and that made it really hard. How was I suppose to teach them something they didn't want to learn? 

These two students happen to be siblings so when one acts out the other one does too. 

One day I had the oldest one first, and it wasn't looking to be much different than normal... That is until I went against my better judgement. I turned to the last song in the book titled "Indian drummer" (a song every boy likes) and I played it for him. It immediately grasped his attention. Enthusiastically, he started learning it. In two weeks he passed it off and was not content with his old books. He begged his mum for new ones and when I returned the next week he insisted he go first. 

His face lights up with a smile when he passes songs off. And when he announced how many days he practiced. 

He still has a short attention span and gets bored but that's when we switch topics and I ask him questions about his art class he's taking and friends he's  been playing with or this last week I started saying stuff to him in French (which got his attention quickly). 

His mum has informed me that he enjoys me coming now. It makes everything worth it when he started to become interested in what I had to say. 

The funny thing about being broke

Okay, I'll be honest... There is no funny thing about being broke. Just trying to look for the silver linings. 

Some of the things I've noticed I do now:

Walk around the grocery store with calculator in hand. Making sure I stay under budget. 

Think back to past purchases. "If I hadn't spent that $10 in high school I would be able to use that money now."

Have a schedule of where all the free food is.  Wednesday is for waffles. Break the fast. Parties on Friday. FHE on Mondays. And every other day I'm at my sisters. 

Welcome visits from my parents. Free food? I'm in. Maybe I can convince them to buy me something too...

It never hurts to ask. Can I have food? Want to drive? Can I use your hot water? Do you have a printer? What's the worse that's going to happen? They say no? 

3 things I've learnt from living on my own

1. How to parallel park. 
         We have one parking place and three drivers with vehicles in our household. Thus needing two of us to parallel park on the street. Having only parallel parked once before moving to this place, I would say that yes, my street parking has greatly improved. However, my performance of said task does depend on the mood of my car, Stanely Sheldon. 

1. Yes my car's name is Stanely Sheldon, or SS Clarke for short.

2. And yes if Stanely Sheldon doesn't feel like parallel parking then it doesn't get done very well. 

But that being said I can almost, always, kinda parallel park. 

2. How to cook for one person. 

I grew up in a family of 8 so I have always been use to cooking for large amounts. When I moved to France and had to adjust my measurements for 5 people, I had a difficult time not making too much. However now, I cook for me, myself and I. One person. Uno. The first few weeks I had left overs galore! And even now sometimes I make way too much rice and pasta. 

3. How to master bubble and squeak.

Bubble and squeak is a family recipe that my mum has been making for years. It's not too complicated and I'm going to share with you how to make it. 

      Step 1: you look in your fridge and grab all the leftovers you have. Pasta. Rice. Potatoes. Veggies. Anything and everything works. 

       Step 2: grap a frying pan. 

       Step 3: (this is where it gets tricky) add all your leftovers together. And fry. 

       Optional step: add cheese and/or eggs to the mix. 

I am a...

I am a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a niece, an aunty, a cousin.

I am a broke college student, a piano teacher, and an artist.

I am a friend, a girlfriend, a roommate.

I am a daughter of a King.

I am a child of God.

I am a Mormon

I know it, I live it, I love it.

What are you?

Post of thanks

During this weekend of Canadian thanksgiving, it is always appropriate to give thanks. Although, just like I refuse to acknowledge Valentine's Day by showing love, I proceed to rebel against the set day of giving thanks by doing it two days earlier. 

I'm grateful for my family, friends, the opportunity to go to university, technology, the house over my head, the clothes on my back etc...

Lately I've been thinking I need to thank my parents specifically. So momma and daddy, thank you. Thank you for teaching me how to mow lawns and weed gardens. How to back up a trailer. The proper names for trowels, shovels, and spades. Thank you for teaching me how to change a diaper when I was 7. Teaching me the difference between the cleaning supplies. Thank you for teaching me how to work in scorching sun, pouring rain, and freezing snow. 

And thank you for investing time and money for the ten years I took piano lessons. For forcing me to practice until I loved it. Now I am a piano teacher, and all that money you spent on my lessons will be paid off after my first year of teaching. 

And I thank you for that.